Have you Not Turned back when you thought you should... and had a great sail?

[photodog]

Or learnt something positive???

A couple of times this has happened... (in fact more than a couple...)

Once from Fowey to Falmouth... we had been cooped up there for a few days waiting for the weather to subside... it had been blowing a solid SE for awhile and then we thought it had calmed down.....

But in reality we went out and it was pretty bouncy and with the sea over the aft port quarter she was rolling like a pig.... but by this time we were almost at DODMAN... even though we couldnt see it... I was worried about how the state would be when we got down into the corner near Falmouth.... I thought that on balance it would be a worse slog back into Fowey... so pressed on...

Did the passage in 3hrs... and as we got into the bay it settled down..

A trip I would rather not have done... but we coped OK and were happy to be in...

Been caught in the fog a couple of times... but coped ok with the plan worked up in advance in case...

We made it in in this......




Last trip back from Fowey to Plymouth last year... big spring tide... wind really picked up from the NW..... a rocket sled ride over canvassed on my own... but a total hoot.. and with the sun shining one of the best sails ever... but in reality should have been much more cautious with the forecast and at the very least left earlier and put in a couple of more reefs!

So, its a fine line I suppose...

 

[fireball]

Yes - first time skippering to Cherbourg from Chichester in our 30'er - F6+ SW = 18 hours ... ok, we did motorsail ... but with no autopilot and one crew "green" it left just 2 of us to man the tiller all the way over ...

It wasn't so much a "great sail" ... but I'm glad we achieved it as it meant I had confidence to continue to operate despite being seasick ...

Oh - and we had a cracking sail back in just over 11 hours ... but then 10kts surfing down the back of the island with 25kts of apparent and full sail is great fun!

 

[KellysEye]

We always worked on the theory that on long passages you can't turn back after two to three days, it's usually upcurrent, upwind in big seas.

 

[johnalison]

SWMBO & I set out from Brighton for Cherbourg years ago in our then Sadler 29 when it had been blowing NE 7 all night. The 6.30 forecast was for more of the same. Our companions claimed that their autopilot was playing up and went back to bed.

We started off running with a half-unfurled genoa. After an hour we unfulrled the rest of it. After another hour we put up the main and later spinnaker. By lunchtime we were motoring in a flat calm and the weather report from the Royal Sovereign only 50 miles away was of NE 7. Not a classic sail, but we were quite pleased with ourselves.

 

[prv]

Yes - only baby ones in the Solent though

One case where I planned to divert to shelter as the wind got up and the number of other boats out seemed to be shrinking rapidly. Decided at the last minute to hang on a bit and carry on past upwind, as it would be easy to turn round and come back if needed. Ended up having a fun (if vigorous) sail in what Bramblemet later showed was the upper part of a F7 (Solent though, so not the waves to match). Remember we're a 24 footer with a fairly "relaxed" rig and hull shape.

Second time was again F7ish, having planned to go upwind from Calshot to Yarmouth. After the last time I wasn't worried, but I didn't think we'd be able to make enough progress to get to Yarmouth. Decided to set off anyway, ending up at Newtown or even Beaulieu depending on how poor our progress turned out to be. In fact we had another fun (though wet) day and made it all the way to Yarmouth, again improving confidence in the boat.

Pete

 

[clyst]

Or learnt something positive???

A couple of times this has happened... (in fact more than a couple...)

Once from Fowey to Falmouth... we had been cooped up there for a few days waiting for the weather to subside... it had been blowing a solid SE for awhile and then we thought it had calmed down.....

But in reality we went out and it was pretty bouncy and with the sea over the aft port quarter she was rolling like a pig.... but by this time we were almost at Rame... even though we couldnt see it... I was worried about how the state would be when we got down into the corner near Falmouth.... I thought that on balance it would be a worse slog back into Fowey... so pressed on...

Did the passage in 3hrs... and as we got into the bay it settled down..

A trip I would rather not have done... but we coped OK and were happy to be in...

Been caught in the fog a couple of times... but coped ok with the plan worked up in advance in case...

We made it in in this......




Last trip back from Fowey to Plymouth last year... big spring tide... wind really picked up from the NW..... a rocket sled ride over canvassed on my own... but a total hoot.. and with the sun shining one of the best sails ever... but in reality should have been much more cautious with the forecast and at the very least left earlier and put in a couple of more reefs!

So, its a fine line I suppose...

but by this time we were almost at Rame...

Going from Fowey to falmouth ???

 

[Mikechappers]

Going from Fowey to falmouth ???

The sea's was very confused

 

[photodog]

Going from Fowey to falmouth ???

Errr.. yeah,.. sorry Dodman!



12 years of sailing down there and I still get those two confused.....

 

[TQA]

Hmm I have learned the hard way that if you think that turning back is a good idea

THEN TURN F****** BACK

and live to sail in comfort another day.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

many times. in fact I reckon I've had more good sails when I was doubtfull about going out that when I wasnt.

 

[AndrewB]

Not exactly, but there have been several times when I've arrived in harbour and had time to listen to the wind howling thought "God ... I wouldn't put out in that." And yes, they've been some of the best sails.

 

[Plomong]

Have you Not Turned back when you thought you should... and had a great sail?

Yes.

And also took a pasting on one occasion.

Another time, did 20 hours downwind in a F7 with big Atlantic rollers coming in from the quarter with Lady Plomong asking from time to time if we could not go faster, from the relative safety of the saloon it should be added. The message really was "could we not get out of this somehow, and quickly". Unfortunately, intermediate ports were not a safe bet in the conditions, so we slogged on to destination.

Plomong